25 August 1813 – North Germany – End of Hildesheim Campaign

Battles fought during campaign phase

Blucher won four of the six battles fought
Napoleon won the other two, including the final one for Hildesheim
The Prussians retreated but held Harsum, Holle and Seesen all within Hildesheim District.

Both armies had suffered heavy casualties and were unable to continue the campaign
It would take at least a week to resupply, regroup and receive reinforcements
However the Prussians still held Hildesheim, the campaign objective
They therefore won the campaign.

The campaign started in May and ended in July 2025

Battles fought in Brunswick Region

This was the fifth campaign phase to be fought in Brunswick Region during the current campaign. The French won four and the Prussians one.

There were 30 battles fought during those five campaigns, the French won 15 and the Prussians also won 15.

25 August 1813 – Northern Germany – Day 7

 

The Prussians retreat to Hildesheim-Goslar border
1st Prussian army – retreat to Seesen
2nd Prussian army – retreat to Holle
3rd Prussian army – hold Harsum

The French hold Hildesheim and win the campaign
1st French army – regroup at Hildesheim
2nd French army – holld Springe
3rd French army – occupy Alfeld

24 August 1813 – Northern Germany – Day 6

 

The Prussians attack Hildesheim
1st Prussian army – occupy Alfeld
2nd Prussian army – attack Hildesheim
3rd Prussian army – regroup Harsum

The French retreat

1st French army – defend Hildesheim
2nd French army – regroup at Springe
3rd French army – retreat to the west

23 August 1813 – Northern Germany – Day 5

 

The Prussians attack Alfeld
1st Prussian army – attack Alfeld
2nd Prussian army – regroup Holle
3rd Prussian army – occupy Harsum

The French retreat to Springe
1st French army – regroup Hildesheim
2nd French army – retreat to Springe
3rd French army – defend Alfeld

22 August 1813 – Northern Germany – Day 4

The Prussians attack Harsum
1st Prussian army – regroup Seesen
2nd Prussian army – occupy Holle
3rd Prussian army – attack Harsum

The French retreat to Hildesheim
1st French army – retreat Hildesheim
2nd French army – defemd Harsum
3rd French army – regroup Alfeld

21 August 1813 – Northern Germany – Day 3

 

The Prussians attack Holle
1st Prussian army – occupy Seesen
2nd Prussian army – attack Holle
3rd Prussian army – regroup Langelsheim

The French retreat to Alfeld
1st French army – defend Holle
2nd French army – retreat to Alfeld
3rd French army – regroup at the border

20 August 1813 – Northern Germany – Day 2

The Prussians attack Seesen and retreat to Langelsheim
1st Prussian army – attack Seesen
2nd Prussian army – observe border
3rd Prussian army – retreat to Langelsheim

The French advance to border
1st French army – concentrate on border
2nd French army – advance to border
3rd French army – defend Seesen

19 August 1813 – Northern Germany – Day 1

 

The campaign opens with a Prussian surprise attack on Hildesheim district

The Prussians are deployed to the east of the Goslar-Hildesheim border
They are out of sight of the French, but are concentrated ready to attack
1st Prussian army – observe Seesen
2nd Prussian army – observe Holle
3rd Prussian army – attack Harsum

The French are deployed to the west of the Goslar-Hildesheim border
One corps from each army is deployed on the border
The remainder are in reserve for ease of resupply
1st French army – defend Holle
2nd French army – defend Harsum
3rd French army – defend Seesen

18 July 1813 – Northern Germany – Day 8

 

Prussian army abandons Wismar
French win campaign

1st Prussian Army – retreat
2nd Prussian Army – retreat
3rd Prussian Army – retreat

3rd French Army – occupy Wismar
1st French Army – occupy Schwerin
2nd French Army – occupy Ludwigslust

17 July 1813 – Northern Germany – Day 7

 

Third Prussian army left campaign
Battle of Wismar

1st Prussian Army – defend Wismar
2nd Prussian Army – redeploy at Schwerin
3rd Prussian Army – left campaign

3rd French Army – attack Wismar
1st French Army – retreat to Gadebusch
2nd French Army – rergroup and reorganise at Ludwigslust

16 July 1813 – Northern Germany – Day 6

 

Third Prussian army retreat off map
Battle of Schwerin

1st Prussian Army – regroup and resupply at Wismar
2nd Prussian Army – battle of Schwerin
3rd Prussian Army – retreat off map

3rd French Army – regroup and resupply at Boltenhagen
1st French Army – attack Schwerin
2nd French Army – occupy Ludwigslust

15 July 1813 – Northern Germany – Day 5

Second battle of Ludwigslust

1st Prussian Army – retreat to Wismar
2nd Prussian Army – regroup and resupply at Schwerin
3rd Prussian Army – second battle of Ludwigslust

3rd French Army – advance to Boltenhagen
1st French Army – regroup and resupply Gadesbusch
2nd French Army – second battle of Ludwigslust

14 July 1813 – Northern Germany – Day 4

Prussians retreat to Schwerin
Battle of Ludwigslust

1st Prussian Army – resupply at Boltenhagen
2nd Prussian Army – retreat to Schwerin
3rd Prussian Army – battle of Ludwigslust

3rd French Army – rally and regroup at Ratzeburg
1st French Army – occupy Gadesbusch
2nd French Army – attack Ludwigslust

13 July 1813 – Northern Germany – Day 3

 

French retreat to Ratzeburg
Battle of Gadebusch

1st Prussian Army – regroup at Boltenhagen
2nd Prussian Army – battle of Gadebusch
3rd Prussian Army – regroup at Ludwigslust

3rd French Army – retreat to Ratzeburg
1st French Army – attack Gadebusch
2nd French Army – regroup at Hagenow

12 July 1813 – Northern Germany – Day 2

Prussians advance to border
Battle of Boltenhagen

1st Prussian Army – battle of Boltenhagen
2nd Prussian Army – advance to border
3rd Prussian Army – retreat to Ludwigslust

3rd French Army – attack Boltenhagen
1st French Army – hold Wittingen
2nd French Army – occupy Hagenow

11 July 1813 – Northern Germany – Day 1

The campaign opens with a surprise French attack in the south

1st Prussian Army – hold Boltenhagen
2nd Prussian Army – hold Gadebusch
3rd Prussian Army – defend Hagenow

3rd French Army – hold Ratzeburg
1st French Army – hold Wittingen

2ndFrench Army – attack Hagenow

11 July 1813 – North Germany – Wismar Campaign

Campaign map of Germany

On 1st January 1813 Austria, Britain, Prussia and Russia declared war on France

Three allied armies would concentrate in Germany
Prussian army at Berlin
Russian army at Dresden
Austrian army at Vienna
Together they would engage and defeat Napoleon

Marshal Blucher would command the Prussian army
They would concentrate in the Berlin region
They would then march into the Brunswick region and engage the French

Emperor Napoleon would command the First French army
They would concentrate in the Osnabruck region
They would then march into the Brunswick region and engage the Prussians

This map shows the rear headquarters for each army, and the colour of the stars indicates which army has won the previous campaign phases. The location of the current campaign is shown by a white star.

Campaign map of North Germany

There are three regions in North Germany

Osnabruck Region (on the left) is the concentration area for First French army
Berlin Region (on the right) is the concentration area for the Prussian Army
Brunswick Region is the disputed area in the middle

This map shows the rear headquarters for each army, and the colour of the stars indicates which army has won the previous campaign phases. The location of the current campaign is shown by a white star.

Campaign map of Brunswick Region

This map is used for strategic (planning) movement.
It shows the location of the regional headquarters for each army
It also shows the location of previous battles fought in the region.

Campaign Diary

01 February 1813 Austria, Britain, Prussia and Russia declared war on France
01 February 1813 Formation of First French army in Osnabruck region
19 February 1813 First French army declared operational.
20 February 1813 Prussians invade Brunswick region
25 February 1813 Prussians occupied the city of Brunswick
26 February 1813 Napoleon advanced into the Brunswick region
28 February 1813 French occupy the city of Hannover
01 March 1813 Start of Brunswick campaign phase
08 March 1813 French win Brunswick campaign phase
12 April 1813 Start of Lubeck campaign phase
19 April 1813 French win Lubeck campaign phase
31 May 1813 Start of Goslar campaign phase
07 June 1813 Prussian win Goslar campaign phase
11 July 1813 Start of Wismar campaign phase                                                            

Campaign map of Wismar District

This map is used for tactical (daily) movement


The fourth campaign phase in northern Germany is in Wismar district
This map shows the location of both armies at the start of the campaign
The French objective is to take the city of Wismar
The Prussian objective is to hold Wismar and defeat the French army

The French army are deployed well to the west of the border
They are out of sight of the Prussian patrols on the border

The Prussian army are deployed further back, for ease of resupply
However one corps from each army is on the border itself.

French Army of North Germany

CinC Emperor Napoleon

First French Army
1st Old Guard corps
2nd French corps
3rd French corps

Second French Army
4th French corps
5th French corps
6th Westphalian corps

Third French Army
7th French corps
8th French corps
9th Polish corps

Each corps has four infantry brigades, one cavalry brigade and corps artillery

144000 infantry,9000 cavalry, 270 guns


Prussian Army

CinC General Blucher

First Prussian Army
1st Prussian corps
2nd Prussian corps
3rd Prussian corps

Second Prussian Army
4th Prussian corps
5th Prussian corps
6th Prussian corps

Third Prussian Army
7th Prussian corps
8th Prussian corps
9th Prussian corps

Each corps has four infantry brigades, one cavalry brigade and corps artillery

144000 infantry, 9000 cavalry, 270 guns

Reference

The campaign diary contains comprehensive details of the whole campaign. The labels on the right are an index to various parts of the campaign.

01 - Introduction to the1813 campaign
02 - Five campaign areas
10 - Introduction to the campaign in Northern Germany
11 – French Army of Northern Germany order of battle
12 - Prussian Army order of battle
13 - Daily diary for the campaign in Northern Germany
14 - Battle reports of all battles fought in Northern Germany
15 - Summary of campaign in Northern Germany

7 June 1813 – North Germany – End of Goslar Campaign

Battles fought during campaign phase

Blucher won four of the six battles fought

At the end of the campaign the French had been forced to retreat into the Hildesheim district

 

To allow his army to regroup and resupply Blucher concentrated them at Goslar

 

The campaign started in September 2022 and ended in December 2022

Brunswick Region

Napoleon ordered his army to retreat into Hildesheim district

 

Blucher deployed his army around Goslar

He also moved his headquarters to Goslar

7 June 1813 – Northern Germany – Day 7

French retreat and abandon Goslar and Liebenburg

In the north French abandon Liebenburg

In the centre French abandon Goslar

In the south Prussians occupy Osterode

Prussians win Goslar campaign 

6 June 1813 – Northern Germany – Day 6

Prussians attack Osterode

In the north both armies rest and reorganise

In the centre French retreat to Goslar

In the south Prussians attack Osterode

 

Battle of Osterode

Prussian main attack is in the centre

On the left 3^rd corps take the woods, but are unable to support the centre

On the right 1^st  corps swing towards the centre as the French withdraw

French suffer a crushing defeat and are forced to abandon osterode